Type-writing machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 1.

P. E. GLADWIN. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 409,655. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. E. GLADWIN. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 409,655. Patented Aug.20 1889.

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UNITED STATE ATENT FrrcE.

FREDERIO E. GLADXVIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,655, dated August20, 1889.

Application filed December 8, 1887. Serial No. 257,362. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Fnnnnnro E. GLADWIN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco, and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inType-XVriting Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference beinghad to the drawings that accompany and form part of this specification.

The invention will be understood from the following detailed descriptionand pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure l is a perspective view of a writingmachine constructed accordingto my said invention and containing all the improvements therein. Fig. 2is a side elevation with the lower portion of the machine-frame at thefront broken away and the rear end of the roller-frame in section. Fig.3 is a detail view in cross-section 0f the paper-carrying roller,type-basket, and machine-frame. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, on a largerscale, of the rollerframe and word-spacing mechanism. Fig. 5 is afrontview of the roller-frame and parts of the line-spacing mechanism.Fig. 6 is a similar front View, showing the letter-spacin g mechanismand paper-scale.

In this improved machine a sheet of paper is wrapped around the rollerand the line of writing is carried circumferentially, the spacingsbetween letters and words being produced by limited rotative movement ofthe roller on its axis. After one line is written the next line isspaced by a longitudinal movement of the roller in the direction of itsaxis. These seve al spacing movements are effected by mechanisms thatact directly upon the roller.

The roller, or platen, as it is termed, turns always in the samedirection, and at the end of one line of writing is set to space thenext line by a longitudinal movement on its shaft without loss of time.The sheet of paper is Wrapped around the platen, the circumference ofwhich is about equal to the width of the sheet, and its length limitsthe length of the sheet.

Plat-ens of different diameters and length may be used in the samemachine to adjust it for special work.

A represents the platen, having an impression-surface of the usualcharacter employed in type-writing machines, and B is a square shaftmounted at the ends in bearings 17 in a platen-frame C, which has oneend extending forward under the square shaft B and attached at itsforward end to the main frame by hinge (1, upon which the frame 0 ishinged to turn, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thisconstruction brings the pivot or hinge (Z at a distance from the end of.the square shaft, so that the platen may travel back of the main frameand back of binge cl, and that no matter in what position of feed theplaten A may be it will always stand at a convenient angle forinspection by the operator when the frame is turned up, as shown indotted lines in Fig. 2. hen turned down into position for work, theframe holds the platen over the typedoasket \V and the letters andcharacters are aligned to stand parallel with the axis of the platen sothat the lines of writing run circumferentially. The longest line thatcan be written is therefore equal to the circumference of the platen.

E is a toothed disk fixed on the front end of the roller-shaft outsidethe frame 0, and F is a handle for turning it. The front face of thedisk carries a scale E, that divides the circumference of the plateninto a number of equal parts, each division representing a given portionof the whole line. The pointer q of the scale is fixed to the front ofthe frame.

As in similar scales provided in other machines, this is a paper-scale,as it serves to set the platen for the desired width of margin at theleft edge of the sheet, and is used for other purposes, such'asregulating the position of the platen and adjusting it. Vhen the disk isturned to stand at O of the scale, the platen will hold the paper inposition to begin the line at the extreme edge of the sheet and fromthis point the platen is set to give margins of various widths byturning the disk until the pointer stands at the proper division of thescale. Rotative movement of the platen to space the words is produced byspacing-bar H, that is struck by the operator after one word is finishedand before the next ICO ' spacin g.

key is struck. This bar turns the platen a given distance and operatesin it through the notched disk E. Such movement is uniform for eachstroke of the bar, as in other machines. I place the spacing-bardirectly above the key-board over the fingers of the operator, so thatit is actuated by an upward blow instead of being struck with a downwardblow. In this position it is readily reached and operated while thefingers are over the keys, and it does not call for special movement ofthe hands to the side or the front of the key-board.

I is an arm to which the spacing-bar II is rigidly connected by the rodh, and 7c is a spring-pawl or dog on the arm that is set to engage withthe toothed rim of the disk E. The spring m,'fixed at one end to theframe 0, bears at the free end on the arm I with pressure sufficient tobringit down after each upward stroke of the spacing-bar, and thisdownward movement turns the disk E. The upward stroke of the spacing-barmoves the pawl over the teeth of the disk and the reaction of the springthat is raised up by such movement then draws down the arm I and turnsthe disk. By producing this spacing movement through the action of thespring, instead of directly by the stroke of the spacing-bar, I secure aregular motion under all conditions, whatever may be the force orcharacter of the blow given to the spacingbar by the operator.

The arm I works in guides 12 on the frame, and is an upright member ofthe pivoted lever .I, that is pivoted at p to the side of the frame 0.Beyond this fulcrum-point the horizontal member J extends backward andis connected at 19 to the upright rod N, that rises from the center ofand is a member of the universal spacing-bar P under the key-levers. Theoffice of this lever J and connections is to space the letters. It isacted on by the downstroke of each key-lever, and at such time bydrawing down the arm J it throws up the outer pawl-carrying end of thearm I. The rotation of the disk to turn the platen is then produced bythe spring M, which draws down the arm Iin the same manner as in theword- The difference in the length of rotary movement required in thewordspao ing is produced by the greater length of upward stroke given tothe arm I, by which the pawl is set up on the edge of the disk a greaternumber of teeth. The ends of the universal spacing-bar work in guides tton the side bars T T of the machine-frame, and the spring M at the endof every movement brings up the bar into position. In like manner itreturns the finger-bar II after every stroke. Springs in the key-boardare dispensed with by using spring-rods instead of pivoted rigid bars.For the key-levers R, I use spring-Wire of suitable stiffness, yethaving-sufficient elasticity. The rear end of the lever is secured to afixed rod T at the back of the machine-frame and is carried over abridge-bar P to the key-board at the front. At this end the levers areturned upward and are tipped with the usual keys, bearing the lettersand characters, and each lever is connected to its proper type-bar inthe type-basket \V by the connecting-rod. The type-bars and connectionsare the same as other similar-constructed writing-1nachines, except thatthe springs for bringing up the levers are dispensed with. The guide-barT has fixed guide-pins depending from its under side that work throughholes made in the key levers, each lever playing freely on the guidepinin the vertical motion, but held from lat eral movement. The bar alsochecks the keylever in the upward spring after each stroke and limitsthe reaction of the rod. Longitudinal movement of the platen on theshaft B gives the spaces between the lines of writing and is produced bythe screw shaft S, a toothed wheel V, and a vibrating finger-lever WV,carrying a pawl The toothed wheel V is set to turn loosely on acylindrical portion of the square shaft, and the screw-shaft is gearedonto it by a pinion R The fingerlever projects to one side of the framefrom a collar setting loosely on the hub of the toothed wheel. The arm10 extends from the opposite side of the collar over the spring, and isattached to a short rod 10, that is bent at the lower end to take underthe spring M. The pawl of the finger-lever is set to engage the teeth ofthe wheel V on the downstroke of the lever, but to slip on the upstroke.Pressure on the outer end of the finger-lever therefore turns the wheel,and this movement operates the screw-shaft. NVhen the lever is released,the spring M brings it back into position for the next stroke. Theplaten has a disk A 011 the rear end that engages the threads of thescrew-shaft, and the rotation of this shaft moves the platenlongitudinally on its shaft toward the front of the frame a greater orless distance. This movement, which sets the platen for the next line ofwriting, is determined by the proportions of the gears and the pitch ofthe screw. At the beginning of the work, to set the top edge of thepaper for the first line and in other adj ustments the platen isreleased from the screw by raising the worm-shaft suificiently to clearthe disk V, so that the platen can be moved along the shaft B and set toany desired point in the frame 0. For this purpose the ends of thescrew-shaft are set in sliding boxes L L in the frame C, which are helddown by springs L If. The pointer g, which is fixed on the frame,furnishes means for setting the platen with respect to the type-bars,and is employed to align the work or bring any particular point on thepaper in line with the center of the type-bars. To inspect the writingduring progress of the work, the platen-frame is tilted back and theplaten is rotated. In such position the whole length of the sheet can beseen and all the lines of writing are brought to View.

The sheet of paper to be written is Wrapped around the platen, and isconfined at the top edges by the springclips a a which are provided forthis purpose at the ends of the roller.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a type-writing machine, a platen or impression-roller, a rotatableshaft on which it is supported and capable of longitudinal movement, incombination with a frame 0, bearing said shaft and having its rear endextended forward under said shaft, hinged to the main frame at rightangles to said shaft, and extending a distance beyond said main frame,as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, With a rotatable shaft 13, a platen-roller A,longitudinally movable thereon and rotating therewith, said rollerhaving a projecting disk A on one end, of a rotatable screw or worm S,engaging with the disk A and a frame 0, in which the shaft and screw aremounted, as set forth.

In a type-Writing machine, the combination of a rotatableimpression-roller having disk A said roller being capable oflongitudinal movement, as described, with a screwshaft S, mounted inspring-bearings, a ratchet-Wheel connected to the screw-shaft, dog Woperating upon the ratchet, finger-bar IV, for operating the dog, and aspring for retracting the dog, as set forth.

4. In a type-Writingmachine, the combination, with an impression-rollerhaving longit-udinal adjustment and movement upon its axis, of a shafton which it is mounted, ratchet E, mounted on the end of the shaft, armI, having downwardly-acting pawl, lever J, conneeted to arm I, verticalrod or arm N, connected to lever J, and transverse universalspacing-bar'P, connected to arm N, and the key-levers for operating thespacing-bar, as set forth.

5. I11 a type-writing machine, the combination, with type fingers orarms carrying the letters or characters, of key levers or bars formed ofspring metal fixed at the rear end. in the frame and the bridge-bar 'lin front of the said point of attachment, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal.

FREDERIC E. GLADXVIN.

W'itnesses:

CHAS. R. KELLY, C. IV. M. SMITH.

